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DSN_KLR650
Richard May
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2000 3:05 pm

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Richard May » Mon Jan 22, 2001 1:07 pm

...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR is not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few miles. Too much vibration and wind and funny handling and whatnot. I need a bike that I can use to commute up to 100 miles per day on the high-speed (often 80mph) freeways in the LA area. Would I regret buying a KLR? RM

bill e goat
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2000 11:18 am

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by bill e goat » Mon Jan 22, 2001 1:29 pm

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Richard May" wrote:
> ...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. > > Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR
is
> not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few > miles.
Mine took me from Boise ID to Santa Rosa CA in one day on an assortment of major and minor roads, 700 miles. I also use it frequently for errands at work and commuting and the biggest gripe is the wide handlebar for lane splitting, but it's not a very big gripe, just necessitates the use of care while going down the dotted line. I find it an excellent work bike, due to its ability to pack lots of stuff (rolls of plans, binders, groceries, etc.) and it's easy to hop on/hop off, and jump curbs for parking.

Kurt Simpson
Posts: 907
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 3:10 pm

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Kurt Simpson » Mon Jan 22, 2001 1:34 pm

> Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR is > not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few > miles. Too much vibration and wind and funny handling and whatnot. > I need a bike that I can use to commute up to 100 miles per day on > the high-speed (often 80mph) freeways in the LA area. Would I regret > buying a KLR?
...for that particular purpose I can think of many other bikes that would do better...althought that is Bogwan's regular cruising speed... Kurt

Bogdan Swider
Posts: 2759
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 2:04 pm

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Bogdan Swider » Mon Jan 22, 2001 1:37 pm

> ...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. > > Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR is > not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few > miles. Too much vibration and wind and funny handling and whatnot. > I need a bike that I can use to commute up to 100 miles per day on > the high-speed (often 80mph) freeways in the LA area. Would I regret > buying a KLR? > > RM > >
The only klr I've ever ridden is my '95. The interstate traffic around here moves at about 85mph, indicated. At that speed and higher (it'll only go 100mph if I'm lucky at this altitude) the bike is rock solid even with my handlebar mounted windshield. I do have a lowered fender. The vibration has never bothered me at any rpm. Bogdan

Zachariah Mully
Posts: 1897
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2000 7:50 am

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Zachariah Mully » Mon Jan 22, 2001 1:46 pm

Richard- TYPICAL smoke being blown up your *** by the squids and RUB's. There are issues up at 80+mph but those are quickly solved with a low mount front fender and a 16T front sprocket, for about $50 total cost. Also these idiots probably don't realize that you can run street tires on the KLR which will significantly improve your road handling to levels at which you can easily smoke some t-shirted squid with requisite idiot girlfriend on a CBR900RR through the twisties (there are some that can do with full knobbies). If you're going to run knobbies on your bike, you have to expect some limitations to your highway speed... Compromises are what attract people to DS machines. We excel at being good, not excellent, in most everything. I know a lot of listers commute on their KLR's, most will probably site the height, manuverablity and seating position as some of the reasons for commuting on the KLR. It rocks if you're lane splitting (though you might want to cut the handlebars a bit narrower), and excels at wheelie-ing out of stop lights. The seating position affords perfect leverage for kicking the doors of idiot cabbies. I could go on, but I don't think this is why you want a KLR ;) Remember that you're buying a big single designed sometime in the late Paleozoic, not a 1000cc wonderbike, but you can be guaranteed of having one of the most dedicated, friendly and helpful bunch of riders here on the list to help you out when it (rarely) has a problem. If you accept the bike for what is and what it can do (not to mention what it costs!), you'll be very happy. Good luck and let us know if you have any more questions. We're here to help out our fellow (potential) KLR riders! ---- Zack SE DC 1991 KLR650 "Buster" 1986 Concours -----Original Message----- From: Richard May [mailto:rm@...] Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 1:51 PM To: DSN_klr650@egroups.com Subject: [DSN_klr650] KLR650 as a freeway commuter? ...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR is not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few miles. Too much vibration and wind and funny handling and whatnot. I need a bike that I can use to commute up to 100 miles per day on the high-speed (often 80mph) freeways in the LA area. Would I regret buying a KLR? RM Visit the KLR650 archives at http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... Let's keep this list SPAM free! Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

Jett Anderson
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2000 4:47 pm

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Jett Anderson » Mon Jan 22, 2001 2:11 pm

If you're considering the KLR for its other virtues (dirt roads, no roads, aftermarket support, rugged, versatile, etc.) and you also need it for commuting, then yes it's a good fit. The bike is very versatile and can handle freeway duty, although it's breathing pretty hard at 80. If you only need a bike for highway/town commuting, there are others that would be a better fit. Sort of like a Jeep Cherokee -- it can do highway duty as well as many other things, but if all you're going to do is highway driving, there are other vehicles better suited. Jett
--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Richard May" wrote: > ...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. > > Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR is > not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few > miles. Too much vibration and wind and funny handling and whatnot. > I need a bike that I can use to commute up to 100 miles per day on

John Irvine
Posts: 355
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2000 9:15 am

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by John Irvine » Mon Jan 22, 2001 2:12 pm

I commute about 20 miles a day, it's great for that but it is not the best machine for getting blown around by semis. Bigger, more aerodynamic, street tire bikes are better if it is the highway that you deal with most. I have one of each now so I'm lucky, I do take the KLR most of the time for its light weight, easy to manuever, good visibility and comfort. But if I had lots of miles with lots of trucks I'd use my big bad Honda. At 07:15 PM 1/22/2001 +0000, you wrote:
>--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Richard May" wrote: > > ...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. > > > > Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR >is > > not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few > > miles. > >Mine took me from Boise ID to Santa Rosa CA in one day on an >assortment of major and minor roads, 700 miles. I also use it >frequently for errands at work and commuting and the biggest gripe is >the wide handlebar for lane splitting, but it's not a very big gripe, >just necessitates the use of care while going down the dotted line. > >I find it an excellent work bike, due to its ability to pack lots of >stuff (rolls of plans, binders, groceries, etc.) and it's easy to hop >on/hop off, and jump curbs for parking. > > > > >Visit the KLR650 archives at >http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 >Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... >Let's keep this list SPAM free! > >Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

Sarah Barwig
Posts: 97
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 9:49 am

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Sarah Barwig » Mon Jan 22, 2001 2:16 pm

At 11:27 AM 1/22/01, you wrote:
>Message: 19 > Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 18:50:48 -0000 > From: "Richard May" >Subject: KLR650 as a freeway commuter? > > ...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. > >Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR is >not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few >miles. Too much vibration and wind and funny handling and whatnot. >I need a bike that I can use to commute up to 100 miles per day on >the high-speed (often 80mph) freeways in the LA area. Would I regret >buying a KLR? > >RM
It's quite possible that a KLR wouldn't be the best choice for high-speed commuting. I think the KLR is a very good choice for lane-splitting. I very much enjoyed my 10 mile commute from Hollywood into Downtown LA for about a year. But, if you're commuting in from San Berdoo, or Pomona, then it might behoove you to get something else. PC800? *grin, duck + run* I don't think that the vibration would be too horrible on a 50 mile one-way commute. But, I do think that the engine would take exception to twice daily 50 mile long 80 mph blasts. Not exactly what the thumper was built to do... As for the vibration, wind, or funny handling. You're probably talking to a bunch of squids who think a Hayabusa is just the ticket for commuting. (My general set of prejudices about the folks who tend to inhabit Usenet). I don't find that the wind upsets the KLR (even though it is tall), but people who've never ridden one, probably would find it quite difficult. As for the "funny handling", well, it's not meant to go racing at Willow Springs. It doesn't handle funny. Unless you're only used to a bike that has 180cm wheels, low center of gravity, and state of the art technology implanted in the metal that composes the frame of the bike... The KLR handles great. It just handles different than my CBR. Which isn't all that surprising. It looks different, too. Frankly, the SV650 is a pretty solid bike for what you seem to want to do with it. If you can find one... Sarah

Dale Johnson
Posts: 413
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2000 10:04 am

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Dale Johnson » Mon Jan 22, 2001 2:49 pm

I commute from Rialto to Torrance daily, 150 miles to be exact, My KLR does great, It makes my commute a lot better, I can lane split and use the car pool lane and make the 75 miles in an hour, during rush hour. I do not have the low front fender and the wind does not bother me ( i get gusts of 50 mph near my house at the bottom of cajone pass. ) Vibration seems to be differnt on each bike, I have no problems with vibration. Can see in my mirrors except at the one harmonic rpm that wiggles my mirrors.. Dale Y2K KLR So-Cal
> the high-speed (often 80mph) freeways in the LA area. Would I regret > buying a KLR? > > RM

Richard Ohnstad
Posts: 140
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2000 3:27 pm

klr650 as a freeway commuter?

Post by Richard Ohnstad » Mon Jan 22, 2001 2:58 pm

> ...not just any freeways, mind you. LA freeways. > > Quite a few people on Usenet seem to have the mindset that the KLR is > not a bike that you'd want to ride 65+mph for any longer than a few > miles. Too much vibration and wind and funny handling and whatnot. > I need a bike that I can use to commute up to 100 miles per day on > the high-speed (often 80mph) freeways in the LA area. Would I regret > buying a KLR? > > RM
I've had mine on a few 500+ mile days at upwards of 80mph. Vibration wasn't offensive to me, nor was the wind and it handled just fine. 50 miles each way, if that what you mean by 100 miles a day, wouldn't be any problem with the KLR IMO. Richard in Tucson 94 KLR650 86 VFR750

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